Tommy Hilfiger Catches The Spirit in Philly (PHOTOS)

American designer Tommy Hilfiger was honored on Saturday with the Philadelphia University Spirit of Design Award, reports WWD. Hilfiger, seen above at Monday's Gala at the Met with his wife Dee, was named winner of the Award in January.

“I am very honored to receive the Philadelphia University Spirit of Design Award,” the fashion icon said in January. “I think it is incredibly important to give back and to support new designers interested in working in the fashion industry.”

"We are thrilled that Tommy Hilfiger is the 2011 recipient of the Philadelphia University Spirit of Design Award,” said Clara Henry, director of Philadelphia University’s fashion design program. “He is an international fashion icon who is an advocate for design education and nurturing young talent.”

Hilfiger, from the small upstate town of Elmira, N.Y., began his career in fashion as a high school student with a small chain of stores called People’s Place. He introduced his first signature collection for men in 1985, modernizing button-down shirts, chinos and other classics with updated fits and details. With creativity and bold marketing campaigns ― including a much-talked about billboard in New York’s Times Square ― his collections expanded and success grew.

Andrew Van Sant, ’11, president of Philadelphia University’s Fashion Industries Association student group, said, “Tommy Hilfiger is a brilliant designer as well as a consummate fashion industry professional who has developed an exceptional model for building a globally recognized brand. He is an inspiration for those of us who are entering the fashion industry.”

After the break, more Hilfiger!